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Power J, Watson S, Chen W, Lewis AJ, van IJzendoorn MH, Galbally M. Maternal emotional availability and perinatal depressive symptoms as predictors of early childhood executive function. J Affect Disord 2024; 365:332-340. [PMID: 39178959 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2024.08.044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2024] [Revised: 08/01/2024] [Accepted: 08/11/2024] [Indexed: 08/26/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The interconnected effects of maternal perinatal depression and the early mother-infant relational quality on children's executive function development are crucial yet understudied. This study addresses this gap, focusing on how perinatal depressive symptoms and emotional availability at 6 months predict child executive function performance at age four, with an emphasis on the moderating role of emotional availability. METHOD This study included 282 mother-infant pairs recruited from the Mercy Pregnancy and Emotional Wellbeing Study, utilising repeated Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale measurement over the perinatal period, Emotional Availability Scales, and child executive function assessments (Shape School, NEPSY-II, Preschool Age Psychiatric Assessment, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity scale, inattentive subscale). Latent growth curve analysis incorporated controls for socioeconomic status and maternal cognitive abilities, and moderation effects were examined through multiplicative interaction terms. RESULTS We found that emotional availability influences children's executive function, specifically switching, motor inhibition, and inattentive symptoms, irrespective of maternal depressive symptom changes. This effect is further nuanced by emotional availability's moderating role in the association between depressive symptom change and switching. LIMITATIONS The study's limitations include a relatively small sample size for moderation analysis and the exclusion of paternal influences. CONCLUSION This study is a significant step in understanding the profound influence of maternal emotional availability in infancy on child executive function development, offering new avenues for research and, if replicated, a foundation for innovative intervention approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josephine Power
- Monash Health, Clayton, Victoria, Australia; Department of Psychiatry, School of Clinical Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia.
| | - Stuart Watson
- Murdoch University, Discipline of Psychology, Perth, Western Australia, Australia; University of Notre Dame, School of Medicine, Fremantle, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Wai Chen
- Curtin Medical School, Curtin University, Australia; enAble Institute, Curtin University, Australia; Fiona Stanley Hospital, SMHS, Australia; Postgraduate School of Education, UWA, Australia; Murdoch University, WA, Australia; School of Medicine (Fremantle), University of Notre Dame Australia, WA, Australia; Centre of Excellence in Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Medical Science, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand
| | | | - Marinus H van IJzendoorn
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Clinical Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia; Erasmus University, Department of Psychology, Education and Child Studies, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Megan Galbally
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Clinical Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
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2
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Jónsdóttir LK, Forslund T, Frick MA, Frick A, Heeman EJ, Brocki KC. A challenge to the expected: Lack of longitudinal associations between the early caregiving environment, executive functions in toddlerhood, and self-regulation at 6 years. Dev Sci 2024; 27:e13526. [PMID: 38712829 DOI: 10.1111/desc.13526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Revised: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
Previous research and theory indicate an importance of the quality of the early caregiving environment in the development of self-regulation. However, it is unclear how attachment security and maternal sensitivity, two related but distinct aspects of the early caregiving environment, may differentially predict self-regulation at school start and whether a distinction between hot and cool executive function is informative in characterizing such predictions through mediation. In a 5-year longitudinal study (n = 108), we examined these associations using measures of maternal sensitivity and attachment security at 10-12 months, executive function at 4 years, and self-regulation at 6 years. Surprisingly, and despite methodological rigor, we found few significant bivariate associations between the study variables. We found no credible evidence of a longitudinal association between maternal sensitivity or attachment security in infancy and self-regulation at 6 years, or between executive function at 4 years and self-regulation at 6 years. The lack of bivariate longitudinal associations precluded us from building mediation models as intended. We discuss our null findings in terms of their potential theoretical implications, as well as how measurement type, reliability, and validity, may play a key role in determining longitudinal associations between early caregiving factors and later self-regulation and related abilities. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: The early caregiving environment has been implicated in the development of later self-regulation, which includes more basic skills, such as hot and cool executive functions (EF). In a 5-year longitudinal study, with a sample of 108 children, we rigorously measured aspects of early caregiving, EF, and self-regulation. We found no significant longitudinal associations between early caregiving and self-regulation at 6 years, nor between EF at 4 years and self-regulation at 6 years. These null results highlight the complexity of modeling self-regulation development and raise critical questions about general methodological conventions within self-regulation development research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lilja K Jónsdóttir
- Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
- Centre for Women's Mental Health During the Reproductive Lifespan - WOMHER, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Tommie Forslund
- Department of Psychology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Matilda A Frick
- Department of Psychology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Medical Sciences, Psychiatry, Uppsala University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Andreas Frick
- Department of Medical Sciences, Psychiatry, Uppsala University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Emma J Heeman
- Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
- Centre for Women's Mental Health During the Reproductive Lifespan - WOMHER, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Karin C Brocki
- Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
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3
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Bernier A, Côté SM, Lapolice Thériault R, Leclerc G. On executive functioning and childcare: The moderating role of parent-child interactions. Dev Sci 2024; 27:e13534. [PMID: 38813799 DOI: 10.1111/desc.13534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Revised: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024]
Abstract
Childcare services are widely used by families and thereby exert an important influence on many young children. Yet, little research has examined whether childcare may impact the development of child executive functioning (EF), one of the pillars of cognitive development in early childhood. Furthermore, despite persisting hypotheses that childcare may be particularly beneficial for children who have less access to optimal developmental resources at home, research has yet to address the possibility that putative associations between childcare and EF may vary as a function of family factors. Among a sample of 180 mostly White middle-class families (91 girls), we examined if childcare participation in infancy was related to two aspects of EF (Delay and Conflict) at 3 years, and whether two aspects of maternal parenting behavior (sensitivity and autonomy support) moderated these associations. The results showed positive associations between participation in group-based childcare and Delay EF specifically among children of relatively less autonomy-supportive mothers. These findings suggest that out-of-home childcare services may play a protective role for children exposed to parenting that is less conducive to their executive development. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: Little research has considered effects of childcare in infancy on executive functioning (EF). Long-standing hypothesis that childcare is more beneficial for children exposed to less sensitive and supportive parenting. We test interactions between maternal parenting and childcare participation in infancy in relation to EF at age 3 years. We find positive associations between participation in group-based childcare and Delay EF specifically among children of relatively less autonomy-supportive mothers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annie Bernier
- Department of Psychology, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada
| | - Sylvana M Côté
- École de Santé Publique, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada
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4
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Nimmapirat P, Fiedler N, Suttiwan P, Sullivan MW, Ohman-Strickland P, Panuwet P, Barr DB, Prapamontol T, Naksen W. Predictors of executive function among 2 year olds from a Thai birth cohort. Infant Behav Dev 2024; 74:101916. [PMID: 38096613 PMCID: PMC10947867 DOI: 10.1016/j.infbeh.2023.101916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Revised: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2024]
Abstract
Executive function (EF) is a critical skill for academic achievement. Research on the psychosocial and environmental predictors of EF, particularly among Southeast Asian, agricultural, and low income/rural populations, is limited. Our longitudinal study explored the influence of agricultural environmental, psychosocial, and temperamental factors on children's emerging EF. Three-hundred and nine farm worker women were recruited during the first trimester of pregnancy. We evaluated the effects of prenatal insecticide exposure and psychosocial factors on "cool" (i.e., cognitive: A-not-B task, looking version) and "hot" EF (i.e., affective, response inhibition) measures of emerging EF. Maternal urine samples were collected monthly during pregnancy, composited, and analyzed for dialkylphosphate (DAP) metabolites of organophosphate insecticides. Psychosocial factors included socioeconomic status, maternal psychological factors, and quality of mother-child behavioral interactions. Backward stepwise regressions evaluated predictors of children's EF at 12 (N = 288), 18 (N = 277) and 24 (N = 280) months of age. We observed different predictive models for cool EF, as measured by A-not-B task, vs. hot EF, as measured by response inhibition tasks. Report of housing quality as a surrogate for income was a significant predictor of emerging EF. However, these variables had opposite effects for cool vs. hot EF. More financial resources predicted better cool EF performance but poorer hot EF performance. Qualitative findings indicate that homes with fewer resources were in tribal areas where children must remain close to an adult for safety reasons. This finding suggests that challenging physical environments (e.g., an elevated bamboo home with no electricity or running water), may contribute to development of higher levels of response inhibition through parental socialization methods that emphasize compliance. Children who tended to show more arousal and excitability, and joy reactivity as young infants in the laboratory setting had better cognitive performance. In contrast, maternal emotional availability was a significant predictor of hot EF. As expected, increased maternal exposure to pesticides during pregnancy was associated with worse cognitive performance but was not associated with inhibitory control. Identifying risk factors contributing to the differential developmental pathways of cool and hot EF will inform prevention strategies to promote healthy development in this and other unstudied rural, low income Southeast Asian farming communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pimjuta Nimmapirat
- Chulalongkorn University, Faculty of Psychology, LIFE Di Center, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Nancy Fiedler
- Rutgers School of Public Health, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health and Justice, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Panrapee Suttiwan
- Chulalongkorn University, Faculty of Psychology, LIFE Di Center, Bangkok, Thailand.
| | | | - Pamela Ohman-Strickland
- Rutgers School of Public Health, Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Parinya Panuwet
- Emory University, Rollins School of Public Health, Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Dana Boyd Barr
- Emory University, Rollins School of Public Health, Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Tippawan Prapamontol
- Chiang Mai University, Research Institute for Health Sciences, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Warangkana Naksen
- Chiang Mai University, Faculty of Public Health, Chiang Mai, Thailand
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5
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Bendel-Stenzel LC, An D, Kochanska G. Elucidating mechanisms linking mothers' and fathers' mind-mindedness in infancy with children's self-regulation at early preschool age. J Exp Child Psychol 2024; 238:105782. [PMID: 37783014 PMCID: PMC10843086 DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2023.105782] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Revised: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/04/2023]
Abstract
Extensive research has examined factors that contribute to individual differences in children's self-regulation (SR), a key social-emotional competence crucial to adjustment and mental health. Those differences become salient and measurable at late toddler age. In the CAPS (N = 200 community families), we examined mothers' and fathers' appropriate mind-mindedness (MM)-the ability to view the child as a psychological agent and correctly interpret his or her mental states-as a predictor of children's SR. MM was observed in parent-child interactions at 8 months, and SR was observed as the capacity for deliberate delay in standard tasks at 3 years. Reflecting a family system perspective, processes both within and across mother-child and father-child relationships were examined in one model. Parent-child mutual responsiveness, observed during interactions at 16 months, was modeled as a mediator of the paths from MM to SR. Fathers' MM had a significant, direct positive effect on SR; in addition, it enhanced mutual responsiveness in both father-child and mother-child dyads and promoted child SR through enhanced mother-child mutual responsiveness. The findings elucidate relatively poorly understood mechanisms linking parental MM in infancy with SR at early preschool age, highlight similarities and differences in the processes unfolding in mother-child and father-child relationships, and emphasize interparental dynamics in socialization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lilly C Bendel-Stenzel
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA.
| | - Danming An
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Grazyna Kochanska
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
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Miller SE, Galvagno LG, Elgier Á. Universality and context-specificity in early executive function development. Infant Behav Dev 2023; 71:101841. [PMID: 37167711 PMCID: PMC10344462 DOI: 10.1016/j.infbeh.2023.101841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Revised: 04/10/2023] [Accepted: 04/29/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
A renewed interest in early executive function (i.e., EF or the conscious control of thought and behavior) development has led several research groups to suggest that EF may be emerging and is less coordinated (e.g., showing few relations between tasks) in the first few years (Devine et al., 2019; Gago Galvagno et al., 2021; Johansson et al., 2016; Miller & Marcovitch, 2015; Ribner et al., 2022). This potentially universal development in EF does not exclude the possibility that EF may also differ across context (e.g., Gago Galvagno et al., 2021; Lohndorf et al., 2019; Tran et al., 2015) reflecting unique strengths and development built within one's sociocultural environment. The present paper explores potential universal and context-specific early EF developments by focusing on three aims: (1) reviewing work on EF within the first two years of life that may speak to potential universality in the measurement, structure, growth, stability, and conceptualization of early EF (2) reviewing research that may speak to how the sociocultural context may play a role in context-specific development within early EF and (3) examining potential developmental EF frameworks for understanding universal and context-specific developments of early EF within context.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lucas Gago Galvagno
- Universidad Abierta Interamericana, Argentina; Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Argentina
| | - Ángel Elgier
- Universidad Abierta Interamericana, Argentina; Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Argentina
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7
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Zhang Q, Wang L, Dong S, Cao L, Wu C, Liu S. Exploring proximal mechanisms behind intergenerational association between maternal childhood abuse and Chinese preschool children's executive function. CHILD ABUSE & NEGLECT 2022; 134:105931. [PMID: 36302286 DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2022.105931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2022] [Revised: 10/03/2022] [Accepted: 10/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Maternal personal history of childhood abuse has been found to predict child social-emotional problems; however, little is known about the intergenerational associations between maternal childhood abuse and child cognitive outcomes. OBJECTIVE This study aims at examining the intergenerational associations of maternal childhood emotional abuse and physical abuse with child executive functions among Chinese families with preschoolers, and exploring how these associations are mediated by maternal perspective-taking skills and mother-child conflict. METHODS Participants were 309 preschoolers (152 boys) aged 2-6 years and their mothers. Mothers reported on their childhood abuse histories, perspective taking, and mother-child conflict at baseline (T1). Five months later (T2), child executive functions including working memory, inhibitory control, and cognitive flexibility were assessed using five computerized tasks. RESULTS After controlling for child gender and age, associations with child executive functions were found for maternal childhood emotional abuse, but not physical abuse. Specifically, severer childhood emotional abuse directly predicted lower levels of child cognitive flexibility. Furthermore, chained mediation paths were found from maternal childhood emotional abuse to lower levels of child working memory and inhibitory control through worse maternal perspective taking skills and then more mother-child conflicts. CONCLUSIONS Our findings provide evidence for less optimal executive functions among preschoolers with emotionally abused mothers. Developing strategies to resolve the long-lasting impacts of maternal childhood emotional abuse may be important for reducing the risks of being unable to fully achieve the cognitive potentials of the next generation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Zhang
- School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China; CAS Key Laboratory of Behavioral Sciences, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing 100101, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS), Beijing 100101, China
| | - Linan Wang
- School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Shanxi Medical University, Shanxi 030001, China
| | - Shuyang Dong
- Faculty of Education, the University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Lizhi Cao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Behavioral Sciences, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing 100101, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS), Beijing 100101, China
| | - Chunxia Wu
- Department of Education, Lyuliang University, Lvliang, Shanxi 033000, China
| | - Siman Liu
- School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China.
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8
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Komanchuk J, Dewey D, Giesbrecht GF, Hart M, Anis L, Ntanda H, Cameron JL, Letourneau N. Association between maternal reflective function and preschool children’s cognitive abilities. Front Psychol 2022; 13:995426. [DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.995426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Children’s cognitive abilities (e.g., working memory) are associated with mental health, adaptive behaviors, and academic achievement, and may be enhanced by parental reflective function (i.e., capacity to reflect on mental states, feelings, thoughts, and intentions in one’s child and oneself). We evaluated associations between maternal reflective function and children’s cognitive abilities alone and while controlling for parent-child attachment and interaction quality, and psychosocial (i.e., maternal depressive symptoms, adverse childhood experiences) and sociodemographic (e.g., socioeconomic status) factors. Our sample, recruited in Canada, was primarily white and included 73 mothers and their 4–5 year old preschool children. Maternal reflective function was measured with the Reflective Functioning Scale applied to the Parent Development Interview and the Parental Reflective Functioning Questionnaire. Multiple regression analyses revealed that maternal reflective function was associated with children’s cognitive abilities. The Parent Development Interview rated child-reflective function was associated with children’s higher verbal comprehension alone and while adjusting for covariates (e.g., parent-child interaction quality, socioeconomic status), and the Parental Reflective Functioning Questionnaire Interest and Curiosity with higher verbal comprehension while adjusting for parent-child interactions and attachment pattern. The Parental Reflective Functioning Questionnaire Certainty in Mental States was associated with higher working memory scores for children while adjusting for covariates. Full Scale IQ and Visual Spatial Index were not significantly associated with maternal reflective function. Associations were found between secure and disorganized attachment with higher verbal comprehension and lower working memory, respectively. These findings highlight the importance of high maternal reflective function to cognitive abilities in early childhood.
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Linking early maternal input during shared reading to later theory of mind through receptive language and executive function: A within- and between-family design. J Exp Child Psychol 2022; 223:105469. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2022.105469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2021] [Revised: 05/03/2022] [Accepted: 05/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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Mattson JT, Thorne JC, Kover ST. [Formula: see text]Parental interaction style, child engagement, and emerging executive function in fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). Child Neuropsychol 2022; 28:853-877. [PMID: 34978272 PMCID: PMC10686097 DOI: 10.1080/09297049.2021.2023122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2021] [Accepted: 12/19/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) are known to experience cognitive and neurobehavioral difficulties, including in areas of executive function and social skills development. Interventions for these challenges have focused on a number of areas, including parent-based training. Despite the general consensus that specific parenting styles consistent with an "authoritative" - warm but firm - parenting approach may influence behavioral self-regulation, it is not known what specific parental interaction styles are associated with child engagement and emerging executive function in this population. The current study used an observation-based behavioral coding scheme during parent-child play interactions and associated parent report-based executive function measures in children with FASD. Here, we demonstrate that parental interaction styles with increased responsive/child-oriented behavior and parental affect are associated with higher levels of child play engagement, while parental interaction that has increased achievement-orientation is associated with higher levels of emerging executive function in children with FASD. These findings help inform future studies on behavioral targets in parent-based training programs and highlight the importance of considering certain parental interaction styles during parent-child play.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia T. Mattson
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - John C. Thorne
- Department of Speech & Hearing Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Sara T. Kover
- Department of Speech & Hearing Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
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Kallia E, Dermitzaki I, Paraskeva V, Bonoti F, Nisiotou I. A six months’ prospective study of the relations between children’s self-regulated learning skills and maternal supportive behaviors. COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cogdev.2022.101220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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12
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The interplay of maternal sensitivity and infant temperament and attention in predicting toddlers' executive function: A two-year longitudinal study. ACTA PSYCHOLOGICA SINICA 2022. [DOI: 10.3724/sp.j.1041.2022.00141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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13
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The role of infant attention and parental sensitivity in infant cognitive development in the Netherlands and China. J Exp Child Psychol 2021; 215:105324. [PMID: 34896764 DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2021.105324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2020] [Revised: 11/06/2021] [Accepted: 11/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Infant attention and parental sensitivity are important predictors of later child executive function (EF). However, most studies have investigated infant and parent factors in relation to child EF separately and included only mothers from Western samples. The current study examined whether both infant attention at 4 months and parental sensitivity at 4 and 14 months were related to infant EF (i.e., inhibition, working memory, and cognitive flexibility) at 14 months among 124 Dutch and 63 Chinese first-time mothers and fathers and their infants. Findings revealed that parental sensitivity at 4 months was not correlated with infant EF abilities at 14 months. However, infant attention at 4 months was significantly related to 14-month working memory, but not to inhibition and cognitive flexibility. Maternal sensitivity at 14 months was significantly related to 14-month inhibition, but not to working memory and cognitive flexibility). No country differences were found in the relation among 4-month infant attention, parental sensitivity, and EF outcomes. Results show that both infant and parent factors are associated with early EF development and that these correlates of early EF skills may be similar in Western and non-Western samples.
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Andrews K, Dunn JR, Prime H, Duku E, Atkinson L, Tiwari A, Gonzalez A. Effects of household chaos and parental responsiveness on child executive functions: a novel, multi-method approach. BMC Psychol 2021; 9:147. [PMID: 34548106 PMCID: PMC8456676 DOI: 10.1186/s40359-021-00651-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Executive functions can be adversely affected by contextual risks in the home environment including chaos and parenting challenges. Furthermore, household chaos negatively influences parenting practices. Few studies, however, have examined the role of parenting in the association between household chaos and child executive functions. Methods Using a sample of 128 school-aged children (mean = 61.9 months, SD = 2.0, range 58–68 months) and their mothers, the present study examined direct and indirect effects (via parental responsiveness) of household chaos on child executive functioning. Multi-measures were used including performance-based assessments, behavioural observations, questionnaires, and video-home tours. Results Household chaos had both a direct effect on child executive functions (β = − .31, 95% CI [− .58, − .04]) and an indirect effect (β = − .05, 95% [− .13, − .01]) via parental responsiveness. Further, the indirect effect was only significant for household instability. Conclusion These findings indicate that parental responsiveness may be compromised by household chaos, with implications for the executive functions of school-aged children. Preventative strategies are needed to improve the stability in the home and strengthen parenting practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krysta Andrews
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, 1280 Main St. W, MIP 201A, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4K1, Canada
| | - James R Dunn
- Department of Health, Aging, and Society, McMaster University, 1280 Main St. W, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4K1, Canada
| | - Heather Prime
- Department of Psychology, York University, 4700 Keele St., Toronto, ON, M3J 1P3, Canada
| | - Eric Duku
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, 1280 Main St. W, MIP 201A, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4K1, Canada.,Offord Centre for Child Studies, McMaster University, 1280 Main St. W, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4K1, Canada
| | - Leslie Atkinson
- Department of Psychology, Ryerson University, 350 Victoria St., Toronto, ON, M5B 2K3, Canada
| | - Ashwini Tiwari
- Institute of Public and Preventive Health, Augusta University, 1120 15th St., Augusta, GA, 30912, USA
| | - Andrea Gonzalez
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, 1280 Main St. W, MIP 201A, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4K1, Canada. .,Offord Centre for Child Studies, McMaster University, 1280 Main St. W, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4K1, Canada.
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15
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Do Breastfeeding History and Diet Quality Predict Inhibitory Control at Preschool Age? Nutrients 2021; 13:nu13082752. [PMID: 34444912 PMCID: PMC8398217 DOI: 10.3390/nu13082752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Revised: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 08/06/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Inhibitory control is the ability to control impulsive behavior. It is associated with a range of mental and physical health outcomes, including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and substance dependence. Breastfeeding and healthy dietary patterns have been associated with better executive functions, of which inhibitory control is part. Additionally, breastfeeding has been associated with healthy dietary patterns. Following our preregistration in the Open Science Framework, we investigated the associations between breastfeeding history and inhibitory control at preschool age, with habitual diet quality as a potential mediating factor. A total of 72 families from a longitudinal study participated at child age 3. Breastfeeding questionnaires were administered at 2, 6, and 12 weeks, and at 12 and 36 months. Six inhibitory control tasks were performed during a home visit, and questionnaires were filled in by both parents. Diet quality at age 3 was assessed via three unannounced 24-h recalls. Structural equation modelling was performed in R. This study did not provide evidence that breastfeeding history is associated with inhibitory control in 3-year-old children. Furthermore, diet quality at age 3 did not mediate the link between breastfeeding history and inhibitory control. Previous studies have investigated broader aspects of inhibitory control, such as executive functions, and used different methods to assess nutritional intake, which might explain our differential findings. Our findings contribute to the growing literature on associations between nutrition and behavior. Future replications with larger and more diverse preschool samples are recommended.
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Altenburger LE, Schoppe-Sullivan SJ. Contributions of Parenting Quality and Coparenting Relationship Quality to the Development of Child Executive Functioning. EARLY CHILDHOOD RESEARCH QUARTERLY 2021; 57:133-143. [PMID: 36313214 PMCID: PMC9615140 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecresq.2021.05.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Executive functioning (EF) skills contribute positively to mental and physical health across the lifespan. High-quality parenting is associated with better child EF. However, research has largely focused on the contributions of mothers' parenting and failed to apply a family systems perspective to more comprehensively consider the consequences of parenting quality and coparenting relationship quality for the development of children's EF. This study examined the independent and joint contributions of mothers' observed parenting, fathers' observed parenting, and supportive coparenting during infancy to children's attention in toddlerhood (26 months) and aspects of EF (i.e., inhibitory control and impulsivity) at 7.5 years of age. Data came from a study of 166 families who participated in a larger longitudinal study. Assessments were conducted at 9-months postpartum (n = 158), 26-months postpartum (n = 114), and when children were 7.5 years of age (n = 100). Results indicated statistically significant associations between fathers' parenting quality at 9-months postpartum and greater child inhibitory control at 7.5 years of age. Mothers' parenting quality at 9-months postpartum was associated with better child attention in toddlerhood. Supportive coparenting was not directly associated with toddler or child EF. However, supportive coparenting moderated the association between fathers' parenting quality and child impulsivity, such that the adjusted effect of fathers' parenting on child impulsivity was negative when supportive coparenting was high. Findings highlight the importance of considering the development of child EF within a family systems framework.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren E Altenburger
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Pennsylvania State University - Shenango, 147 Shenango Avenue, Sharon, PA 16146
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Dong S, Dubas JS, Deković M, Wang Z. Cool and hot effortful control moderate how parenting predicts child internalization in Chinese families. J Exp Child Psychol 2021; 206:105099. [PMID: 33631633 DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2021.105099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2020] [Revised: 01/12/2021] [Accepted: 01/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Internalization of external rules is a behavioral manifestation of moral development during childhood, and its development has come to be understood from the view of a complex parenting-by-temperament process. To examine this developmental process, the current research investigated how maternal parenting behaviors and child effortful control foretell internalization throughout early to middle childhood with two longitudinal samples of Chinese mother-child dyads. In Study 1 (N = 226), maternal respect for autonomy and negative control during free plays at 15 months of age were observed. At 25 months, child cool and hot effortful control were measured with a Stroop-like categorization task and an externally imposed delay task. At 37 months, observed internalization of maternal rules was assessed. Results showed that for toddlers with high levels of cool effortful control, maternal respect for autonomy positively predicted later internalization. In Study 2 (N = 88), maternal respect for autonomy and negative control during free plays at 38 months of age were coded. At 60 months, child cool and hot effortful control were measured with a Stroop-like inhibition task and a delay-of-gratification task. Observed internalization of maternal and experimenter rules and mother-reported internalization in everyday life were assessed at 60 and 84 months. Results showed that for children low on either cool or hot effortful control, maternal respect for autonomy negatively predicted later internalization during childhood. Together, the current findings support an age-relevant goodness-of-fit model for internalization development in Chinese children throughout the first 7 years of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuyang Dong
- Beijing Key Lab of "Learning and Cognition", School of Psychology, Capital Normal University, 100037 Beijing, China; Department of Developmental Psychology, Utrecht University, 3584 CS Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Judith Semon Dubas
- Department of Developmental Psychology, Utrecht University, 3584 CS Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Maja Deković
- Department of Clinical Child and Family Studies, Utrecht University, 3584 CS Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Zhengyan Wang
- Beijing Key Lab of "Learning and Cognition", School of Psychology, Capital Normal University, 100037 Beijing, China.
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Longitudinal associations between inhibitory control and externalizing and internalizing symptoms in school-aged children. Dev Psychopathol 2020; 33:843-855. [PMID: 32662373 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579420000176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Inhibitory control (IC) deficits have been associated with psychiatric symptoms in all ages. However, longitudinal studies testing the direction of the associations in childhood are scarce. We used a sample of 2,874 children (7 to 9 years old) to test the following three hypotheses: (a) IC deficits are an underlying risk factor with a potentially causal role for psychopathology, (b) IC deficits are a complication of psychopathology, and (c) IC deficits and psychopathology are associated at the trait level but not necessarily causally related. We used the go/no-go task to assess IC, the parent-rated Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire to evaluate externalizing/internalizing symptoms, and the random intercepts cross-lagged panel model to test the hypotheses. The results showed no support for the underlying risk factor hypothesis, suggesting that IC unlikely has a causal role in this age group's psychopathology. The complication hypothesis received support for externalizing symptoms, suggesting that externalizing symptoms may hamper the normal development of IC. IC deficits and both externalizing and internalizing symptoms were correlated at the trait level, indicating a possible common origin. We suggest that it may be useful to support children with externalizing symptoms to promote and protect their IC development.
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Fujita N, Hughes C. Mind‐mindedness and self–other distinction: Contrasts between Japanese and British mothers’ speech samples. SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/sode.12454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nao Fujita
- Centre for Family Research University of Cambridge Cambridge UK
| | - Claire Hughes
- Centre for Family Research University of Cambridge Cambridge UK
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Sharifian N, Kraal AZ, Zaheed AB, Sol K, Zahodne LB. Longitudinal socioemotional pathways between retrospective early life maternal relationship quality and episodic memory in older adulthood. Dev Psychol 2019; 55:2464-2473. [PMID: 31436459 PMCID: PMC6813874 DOI: 10.1037/dev0000805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Prior research suggests that social relations may play a role in explaining individual differences in cognitive functioning in older adulthood. In particular, early life maternal relationship quality (MRQ) has been shown to be a strong predictor of later-life socioemotional outcomes and may also contribute to later-life cognitive outcomes. The current study aimed to examine longitudinal associations between retrospective early life MRQ and later-life episodic memory directly and indirectly through socioemotional pathways. Three waves of data spanning 6 years of the Health and Retirement Study were used (T1: 2008, T2: 2012, T3: 2014; n = 5,263, Mage = 69.31, SD = 10.75 at T1). A longitudinal mediation model tested the direct and indirect effects of retrospectively reported MRQ at T1 on T2 memory and latent change in memory from T2 to T3 through depressive symptoms, social network size, and loneliness at T2. Analyses revealed that better MRQ at T1 was associated with less loneliness and fewer depressive symptoms at T2, and in turn, each was independently associated with less decline in memory from T2 to T3. Overall, findings suggest an enduring effect of early life social experiences on later-life cognitive functioning through socioemotional pathways. These findings further highlight the necessity of taking an integrative and life course perspective when examining the relationship between social relations and cognition. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).
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Affiliation(s)
- Neika Sharifian
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
| | - A. Zarina Kraal
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
| | | | - Ketlyne Sol
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
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Bosquet Enlow M, Petty CR, Svelnys C, Gusman M, Huezo M, Malin A, Wright RJ. Differential Effects of Stress Exposures, Caregiving Quality, and Temperament in Early Life on Working Memory versus Inhibitory Control in Preschool-Aged Children. Dev Neuropsychol 2019; 44:339-356. [PMID: 31059292 DOI: 10.1080/87565641.2019.1611833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
We examined the roles of maternal and child lifetime stress exposures, infant temperament (orienting/regulation, surgency/extraversion), and maternal caregiving during infancy and preschool on preschoolers' working memory and inhibitory control in a sociodemographically diverse pregnancy cohort. Working memory was predicted by infant orienting/regulation, with differential effects by the level of maternal cognitive support in infancy; maternal lifetime stress exposures exerted independent negative effects on working memory. Inhibitory control was positively associated with maternal emotionally supportive behaviors in infancy, which mediated the effects of maternal lifetime stress exposures on inhibitory control. These findings have implications for interventions designed to optimize child executive functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Bosquet Enlow
- a Department of Psychiatry , Boston Children's Hospital , Boston , MA , USA.,b Department of Psychiatry , Harvard Medical School , Boston , MA , USA
| | - Carter R Petty
- c Institutional Centers for Clinical and Translational Research , Boston Children's Hospital , Boston , MA , USA
| | - Cassandra Svelnys
- a Department of Psychiatry , Boston Children's Hospital , Boston , MA , USA
| | - Michaela Gusman
- a Department of Psychiatry , Boston Children's Hospital , Boston , MA , USA
| | - Michelle Huezo
- a Department of Psychiatry , Boston Children's Hospital , Boston , MA , USA
| | - Ashley Malin
- d Department of Pediatrics , Mount Sinai Kravis Children's Hospital, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai , New York City , NY , USA
| | - Rosalind J Wright
- d Department of Pediatrics , Mount Sinai Kravis Children's Hospital, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai , New York City , NY , USA.,e Institute for Exposomic Research , Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai , New York City , NY , USA
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